Related Articles

Protected on its southern and western sides by the outlying islands of Molokai, Lanai and Kaho'olawe, the waters of Maui's 'Au'au channel are much calmer than those of the open Pacific. This is one of the reasons humpback whales are seasonally attracted to the channel, where they calve and mate before traveling back to Alaska. The calm waters also make Maui one of the better islands to experience from the deck of a catamaran.

Tour Basics

Catamarans are favored vessels for day sails and charters in the Hawaiian islands because of their stability in large Pacific swells, ability to make shallow-water landings on beaches and their large capacity for passengers. Tours on catamarans basically break down into three different types: whale watches, snorkel excursions and day or sunset cruises that may include dinner, drinks or onboard entertainment. A handful of reputable charter operations offer these types of catamaran trips on Maui, including Hula Girl Exclusions (sailingmaui.com), Pride of Maui (prideofmaui.com), Trilogy Excursions (sailtrilogy.com) and Maui Classic Charters (mauiclassiccharters.com). The charter you choose will depend on price, schedule, time of year and where you are staying on the island.

Whale Watches

Every November Northern Pacific humpback whales begin to appear in Maui's 'Au'au Channel. Reaching their peak population in February, the whales have typically left Hawaii by May. During this time, many catamaran charter companies offer whale-watching excursions. Quieter and closer to the water than larger, motorized whale-watching vessels, catamarans provide their passengers an up-close-and-personal encounter with the fascinating leviathans as they raise their heads to examine boats, slap their tales and breach dramatically out of the water.

Snorkeling Excursions

With their stability and shallow water capabilities, catamarans make ideal platforms from which to snorkel. Able to anchor outside of reef areas but close inshore, Maui's catamaran charter companies offer numerous snorkeling opportunities to their customers. Molokini crater, a collapsed and flooded volcano offers world-class snorkeling and diving opportunities, as do the waters of the marine sanctuary off Lanai's southern tip, which teems with spinner dolphins as well as reef fish. Among the most popular snorkeling sites on the island is Turtle Town, which --- as one may surmise --- is an area frequented by the endangered Hawaiian green sea turtle.

Cruises

The islands that create the 'Au'au channel are giant volcanic masses, in some places lush and green and carved with valleys, and in others barren and eerie like the surface of a distant planet. The perspective you gain by seeing the sea cliffs of Molokai, the valleys of Maui, the miles-long beaches of Lanai and the desolation of Kaho'olawe from the water is incredible. A catamaran cruise gets you out on the water so that you can see the islands in an entirely new way and, on some trips, experience a gorgeous Maui sunset. Many evening trips are accompanied by dinner or live entertainment after dark.

References

About the Author

Trent Jonas accepted his first assignment in 1988 from "The Minnesota Daily" and has been writing professionally ever since, primarily as a copywriter. He is an experienced traveler with a background in advertising, entrepreneurship and as an attorney. Jonas has a Bachelor of Arts in English writing from the University of Minnesota and a Juris Doctor from Hamline University.

Leaf Group is a USA TODAY content partner providing general travel information. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.